"I don't think this is too hard. The main thing is to rely on City Lord Liu's prestige." Ruo Cheng had been listening the entire time and had thought of this problem. "As long as it happens, no matter how the traitors explain, their actions will be seen through. We just have to make them open up their bodies and brand them with City Lord Liu's imprint, and we can find them."
"For Soul Alliance, truly for Soul Alliance, these people won't mind."
"Good idea. Even if a few of them are hesitant, we can pull in as many troops as possible and station them in the surrounding defense points to prevent the outside from breaking through the barrier. Of course, we have to prepare for a battle inside. When the time comes, we can force Alliance Master to open the defensive formation. This way, the battle inside will cause as little damage as possible." Another city lord's eyes lit up as he spoke of Ruo Chen's intentions.
Gu Zheng watched as everyone chimed in and discussed the loopholes. There were some he hadn't thought of, but with everyone's discussion, they quickly found a suitable solution.
Previously, he had been hesitant to reveal his reinforcements, which were the Shura Clan. If the Fifth Ring Sage could forcefully tear open space and summon the Shura Clan, then the outcome of this battle could be said to have been decided.
At the same time, Gu Zheng knew that when that time came, Wen Tianhou probably wouldn't be able to chase away the shura species. Gu Feng wouldn't be able to either. They could only watch as they slowly took over this world until it became a part of them.
Outside, there wouldn't be any more wandering shura species. They would come here and return.
"Looks like you've dealt with it. I've brought them back."
At this moment, the secret room's door opened again and Madam Xue brought Painted Shadow and the others in.
"What are you doing? Coming back and forth is very annoying. What do you want from me?" Compared to Yan Ge and the others' unconditional obedience, Painted Shadow was a little impatient. She said loudly the moment she came in.
"Are you curious about what we're talking about? As long as you answer a few of their questions, we'll tell you." Gu Zheng ignored the other party's complaints and purposely spoke like a bad uncle trying to tempt a child with a lollipop.
Although he knew that this was a trap, the child still grabbed the stick. His eyes lit up and he became excited. He immediately nodded and agreed to the exchange.
"Deal. Ask me anything you want. I'll tell you everything I know. If you want to know what Sister Meng Zhen likes, what she likes to eat, and what she wears, I'll know."
"I don't want to know." Gu Zheng didn't expect the other party to say that. He quickly looked around. Fortunately, Pan Xuan wasn't here. Who knew what she thought of him. "Hurry up and stand there and accept the interrogation!"
Gu Zheng purposely spoke with a heavy tone. He then signaled to Yan Yue, who was behind Painted Shadow. The latter understood what Gu Zheng meant and pushed Painted Shadow to the front.
"The Painting Soul Race is very interesting," Madam Xue said to Gu Zheng when she saw Painted Shadow start asking questions.
"The other party is impudent. It's just that he lives in the world of the painting. At least he's living a much better life than those demonic souls." Standing to the side and watching Yan Ge ask a few questions, Gu Zheng knew that this was a success. No matter what, it would delay Soul Alliance from being defeated by the other party.
"Yes, I just hope that this time, more people can survive."
Madam Xue knew the inside story. However, she had completely sided with this side. Moreover, Soul Alliance had no other choice in this situation. This was the only path they could take. Just like the beginning, only a bloody battle could give them a chance to survive.
However, what they didn't know was that behind this battle, there was a third party waiting to benefit.
Very quickly, these city lords obtained the information they wanted from Painted Shadow. After a simple discussion and a final decision, they all said goodbye to Gu Zheng and Madam Xue.
Time was tight. They had to make arrangements without stopping to face what they were about to face.
"Let's go."
After everyone else left, Gu Zheng brought Painted Shadow and the others to another living room. He also pulled Pan Xuan over.
"Ok, tell me what happened. Why are you all here?"
He sat back down and spoke to them.
Beside him, Madam Xue and Pan Xuan looked at each other curiously. Although Blood Talisman had listened to the city lords' questions, those city lords knew their limits and didn't satisfy her curiosity.
"It's like this. We were in Palace City and were about to leave …"
Painted Shadow explained the situation in detail. After she finished, Yan Ge also gave a simple explanation of his mission. He also told Gu Zheng that although their mission was successful, Gu Zheng's opponent had escaped.
"You were trapped. Meng Zhen's body also mutated. Xiao Ying seemed to have been controlled by the other party. You escaped and were caught by them."
Gu Zheng didn't care about Yan Ge. After all, Ma Nan was already dead. He just didn't expect Painted Shadow to bring three very bad news. However, he couldn't leave at this time.
The situation in Meng Zhen's body was still manageable, but he couldn't do anything about Painted Soul. How could he teleport Painted Soul and the others away? What worried him even more was Xiao Ying.
In actuality, after wasting so much time here, he had a bad feeling. However, he knew that if he went up rashly, he wouldn't be able to save Xiao Ying. She was being closely guarded by Wen Tianhou and could only rely on Little Cat. However, Little Cat hadn't replied, and Xiao Ying had already been controlled by the other party.
Thinking about the lively little girl asking him all sorts of questions every day, he felt a faint pain in his heart, and he clenched his fists tightly.
Outside his body, traces of an invisible black aura came out. It was as bad as his mood.
"Lord Gu, don't be angry. Perhaps someone from the Painted Soul Clan can help you."
Yan Ge saw the aura on Gu Zheng's body surging. The invisible aura made the two of them slightly fearful. It was like a volcano, and they were standing at the mouth of the mountain. They couldn't see anything else, so they quickly said.
Pan Xuan's eyes flashed with an inexplicable light. She seemed to have seen something different in Gu Zheng's aura. It was like the feeling she had when she saw the Ancestor. It made people want to worship him. At that moment, she almost saw the other party's "past". Unfortunately, she was interrupted by Yan Ge and didn't have the chance.
Just like that, she understood one thing. Although she had a noble background, excellent talent, and mesmerizing beauty, she still couldn't match up to him. She couldn't match up to the real him. She could only look at Gu Zheng with deep regret. Then, she suddenly stood up and walked out without saying goodbye.
Because of the "pill" she gave to Gu Zheng, Gu Zheng's power was still increasing. However, he didn't have the time to sort it out, which led to a problem in his control of his own body. However, he hadn't noticed it yet.
"Why is she breaking through at this time?" Gu Zheng only felt Pan Xuan's aura become strange. Then, a huge force surged from her body. She had actually started to break through for no reason.
"I'll go take a look." Madam Xue seemed to understand something at that moment. She said something to Gu Zheng and left in a hurry.
She couldn't sense the difference in Gu Zheng just now, but she knew that Pan Xuan had finally walked out of her heart. Although the timing wasn't right, she was still happy for Pan Xuan.
Suppressing the surging emotions in his heart again, Gu Zheng looked at Yan Ge. "Who do you think can help?"
Painted Shadow was also at the side. She stared at Yan Ge, wanting to see what was bothering him. She also knew how difficult it would be to help them leave that place.
"I came up with this idea after Painted Shadow eavesdropped on the news. Of course, we have to borrow the power of the Outer Souls. On the way, I happened to meet a friend who knows how great your reputation is among the Outer Souls. If you ask, there won't be a problem." Yan Ge said confidently.
"Right now, the other party is gathering the leaders of the other races. If my guess is correct, they must have used the Myriad Spirit Portrait to completely control them. At that time, these Demon Souls will be forced to obey the heavenly king from the bottom of their hearts. They won't be like now, where they pretend to obey you but secretly oppose you. There are many of them. At that time, they will definitely leave the palace city and go to the plains outside. That will be your chance."
"Wait? Myriad Spirit Portrait? What kind of magic treasure is that? "Gu Zheng interrupted when he heard this.
"The Myriad Spirit Portrait is a magic treasure that Wen Tianhou found here. Simply put, it can control all the Demon Souls here and make them swear allegiance to him. Of course, this is the specific use, but it's obviously not suitable for him. He tried to subdue us before, but failed. Now, it has been fused into the body of that girl called Xiao Ying, and its power has been strengthened further." Painted Shadow said.
"Yeah." Thinking of Xiao Ying, Gu Zheng's heart ached again. He didn't want to say anything else, in case he couldn't control his emotions.
He knew that Xiao Ying was special, but he didn't expect that her place of residence would be inside the Myriad Spirit Portrait. Also, the damaged divine tool on it seemed to have been fused into her body. Otherwise, she wouldn't have been born. But now, it was like a tool that was used by Wen Tianhou.
"I know that there is a secret passage in the Outer Soul that can bypass the other party's defense and go straight into the palace city. I don't know the details, but if we can use it, we might be able to bring those Painting Souls out. As for whether we can be discovered by the heavenly king or be hunted down, we can only rely on luck."
"I can give them a huge firework from the inside and destroy Wen Tianhou's home. At least it can attract their attention temporarily," Painted Shadow said.
Hua Ying said from the side. She reminded Gu Zheng of those complicated secret passageways. If they were really tampered with, the destruction they would cause would be world-shaking.
"That's a good idea. We can give it a try. Right now, I have a plan to completely eliminate the other party. The other party's doomsday is coming." In order to give them some confidence, Gu Zheng revealed a piece of information to them.
Even if the Shura here failed, there was a gap that Gu Zheng had provided. It was just an unintentional seal. As long as the old ancestor wasn't stupid, he would definitely be able to come over.
As for the gap that Gu Zheng had entered through, it would probably be completely blocked by the brush.
He wasn't worried about the safety of the brush. The other party seemed to be quite strong, and with the support of the imperial jade seal, he might not be able to subdue the other party.
In the end, it was just a matter of time. Although he hadn't seen the strength of the old ancestor, he was sure that it wouldn't be a problem for him to deal with Wen Tianhou.
"That's great!" Yan Yue praised.
"Then let's go find the Outer Soul for help. Give me your keepsake, I'm afraid it's too late." Hearing that, Painted Shadow immediately stretched out his hand and said to Gu Zheng.
"Does this count as your condition?" Gu Zheng looked at Painted Shadow and said purposely.
"Of course not. When you went out, we helped you. How can you not help us with this?" Hearing that, Painted Shadow raised his eyebrows. He put one hand on his waist and pointed at Gu Zheng with the other. If it wasn't for the shock on his face, he would have thought that he was a little rascal.
"Okay, okay, I'll give it to you. If you want the other party's help, you must go to the city behind and find Elder Gu. Then, the other party will definitely go all out. Also, Yan Ge, let me tell you something." Gu Zheng turned his head to the side and said to Yan Ge.
"When you leave here, you must be careful. The other side is similar to what you think, but you can't come back."
Gu Zheng gave a simple explanation of his past. Of course, the main point was the information about the water demons. Also, when they said that they could come back, it was actually just a dream.
"Looks like it wasn't an illusion."
Yan Yue and Yan Ge looked at each other and said almost at the same time. Without waiting for Gu Zheng to ask, Yan Ge continued.
"Sir, you also know why we are the two traitors among the water demons. But a long time ago, we were also worshippers of the Heavenly King."
"That's because when we were young, we secretly approached that entrance to play. When we observed our clansmen leaving this place, a dreamlike voice was transmitted into our minds. It wasn't trying to brainwash us. Instead, it was like it was talking to itself. It was warning us that there was a trap over there," Yan Yue continued.
"There was even an image of a senior that we didn't know. He was locked in a dark cage and was betrayed. At that time, we planted the seed. No matter what, we didn't want to lose ourselves. But we don't know if we can come back." Yan Ge continued.
"I'm just afraid that you will have some difficulties. Remember to find the leader of a hunting group in Kaohsiung. Mention my name and he can help you. But if he asks where I am, just say that I'm cultivating. Don't tell him anything else." Gu Zheng arranged carefully.
Gu Zheng knew that the water demons would leave sooner or later. After all, this world wasn't suitable for them to stay in.
"Yes, thank you sir! We will hide well inside. If you need us in the future, just tell us. "Yan Ge said gratefully.
After knowing that there was a problem there, as long as they were careful, they would be able to escape the initial encirclement.
"Hey, I haven't finished here yet. You're leaving already?" Painted Shadow listened to their conversation and said with a sour heart.
"Don't worry, they will escort you back. This amount of time should be enough." Gu Zheng stretched out his head and patted Painted Shadow's head.
"I can do it alone." Painted Shadow jumped back and broke free from Gu Zheng's evil clutches and said loudly.
"Okay, okay, I got it. Help them leave here. Thank you." Gu Zheng said softly with an "I know" look.
If it wasn't for the fact that the water demons' combat strength was greatly reduced after leaving the Soul River, he would also want them to stay here. After all, they were an extremely strong force.
"That's more like it." Painted Shadow immediately beamed with joy and forgot about her unhappiness.
"After you finish this matter, leave!" Gu Zheng said to Yan Ge.
"We will do our best!" Yan Ge said seriously.
Gu Zheng didn't keep them and sent people to escort them out. As for how they would leave, it would be very simple for them. The only unexpected thing was that there would be no other changes on the way.
In theory, Gu Zheng could also follow them and use Painted Shadow's power to leave. Unfortunately, he couldn't.
"No matter what, I have to get my fifth ring back first."
Gu Zheng joked in his heart. He went back to his temporary residence and began to close his eyes. While there was still some time, he suppressed the aura fluctuations on his body.
Madam Xue was also whispering to Pan Xuan outside, waiting for time to pass.
Just as the underground water was flowing non-stop outside, in a dark secret room, a group of people were gathered together.
Although all of them were covered in black robes, making it impossible for others to see their figures and faces, others naturally knew who they were.
The black-robed people huddled together in the darkness until one of them spoke in a low voice.
"Has the outside been contacted?"
"The other party is about to arrive. Is there anyone else here? Liu … Lord, that woman has been suspicious of us." Another person almost let it slip, but he quickly corrected himself.
They weren't the only ones here. Even if they knew each other's identities, they still had to be on guard against others.
"Don't ask her. Those strange fellows behind her do have some skills. Unfortunately, they haven't found any good ones."
"Tomorrow is the martial arts competition. Remember our rhythm and drag it out as long as possible. Although the other side doesn't care and we'll do our best to create opportunities, just follow my instructions."
The first black-robed person to speak continued.
"Everything is going according to plan. This will also be our last gathering. It seems like there won't be any major accidents. After this matter goes smoothly, everyone will be able to see their contributions. Don't worry."
"It will be our honor," the other black-robed people said in unison.
"When I came, I saw that City Lord Niu quietly leave his residence. Is there really no problem?" another black-robed person near the bottom suddenly asked.
"I learned a little from someone I'm on good terms with that someone seems to have taken a liking to that prize. There's probably some shady business going on behind the scenes. There's no need to worry. As for you, despite your good relationship with the other party, you haven't made any substantial progress."
"The other party is very suspicious, especially that strange female guard. She's even more unfathomable. If we want to know if she's pregnant, we'll probably need some time."
"Time? There's no need. After this matter, the other party will have no choice but to agree. Once the chaos begins, you'll be responsible for dealing with her. Don't let her die. If that doesn't work, send someone to capture her child. We have to know how the other party did it. "
From his tone, he seemed to have already seen their end.
"Yes!"
"Does anyone have anything else to say? If not, we're dismissed. "
There was a moment of silence in the air. Soon, the group of people left silently.
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